Teaching, Construction & Conservation... doing your project!

Interacting with the children in Nam
Gha, Laos

Each of our 3 and 4 week expeditions include a project phase: between 5-10 days (depending on destination) to spend in a community getting to know the local people and understanding a different way of life. Alongside this cultural interation teams will also complete or contribute to World Challenge's ongoing work in the communities, and this may include anything from building or renovating facilities, installing sustainable vegetable gardens, to clean up operations in national parks, wildlife conservation work with national authorities, and educational workshops. However, in order to contribute effectively and the get the most out of your project some preparation is required, so have a look below for some Project Top Tips!

Building a school in Uganda

• Communication: the project will only be successful if you communicate with your project host so that your objectives and expectations are clear. Remember that you are a guest of the host community so do your research: what language do they speak, what is suitable to wear and are there any customs specific to that community? (for example, a 'high-5' in one country may mean the number '1' in another; the 'ok' sign, although positive in Europe, can be offensive in South America; the 'come here' finger of the US and Europe is usually done by having your palm facing down and closing all 4 fingers in Asia and in a lot of the world pointing with the index finger is considered rude, an open hand or using the thumb is more acceptable)!



Teaching at the Malaysian
Association for the Blind

• Teaching: you may get the opportunity to teach in a local school on your project. There are lots of teaching resources in the UK to help you plan the best way to interact with your host community including suggestions on arts and crafts, games, songs and lesson plans. Get researching! However,  you must also remember to address teachers and elders by their official title (Mr/Mrs followed by surname) until asked to do otherwise. Take your hat off when talking to a staff member, and do not undermine their teaching style whilst you are there.
• Environment: It may be that you are building a fenced vegetable garden in a local school. 

  

  Conservation work in
  Long Lellang, Borneo

  
  As well as teaching children sound agricultural practices as part of their school education, these gardens allow schools to supplement the maize meal-based diet of their children, and also sell crops to bring in additional funds for books etc. Start researching common crops in the country and what requirements they have for planting (water/sunlight/etc). Conduct workshops and games with the local children. Discuss how to water the crops efficiently and the importance of not damaging or polluting the area and engage local children in the site preparation; flattening earth and collecting stones for boundaries are both ways to spark interest.
•  Extras: If you or your team is planning on fundraising additional gifts of money for your project site, get in touch with World Challenge first to see what is needed and how this can best be delivered in-country. Sometimes, gifts can cause disruption and competition among children, causing more harm than good. Try to keep gifts as useful to as many people as possible, such as sporting equipment, childrens books, classroom stationary (coloured chalks posters). You will need to think about how you are going to get these from your home country to the project site, or whether it's better to buy all gifts in-country, putting money into the local comnmunity.Do not promise any additional funding if this is unlikely to occur, it sets bad expectations for future teams and can give international development work a bad name.

Spending time with the children
in Tanzania

Project details for each of our destinations will be on the member's website in the New Year, but it's never to early to start planning! For many challengers the project is their favourite and most memorable part of the expedition...and it will certainly make your experience different from your average school trip or family holiday!